“…our story is so beautiful, that even if it wasn’t true there is no reason that we can’t make it true. God needs willing earthly hands to build Zion, it can’t be built by celestial beings alone.” –William H. Chamberlin Chamberlin was one of the first Mormons to study philosophy and biblical criticism and was …
Speaker: James McLachlan
SL10214: Meditations on William H. Chamberlin and Why One Should Remain Mormon
“Even if Mormonism were not true, we could make the cause they loved true, and bend it to the service of our God.” –William H. Chamberlin. Few people have had more reason to leave Mormonism than William H. Chamberlin. He was one of the first Mormons to do formal studies in philosophy and biblical criticism …
BOOK PANEL: MORMONISM IN DIALOGUE WITH CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN THEOLOGIES
BOOK PANEL: MORMONISM IN DIALOGUE WITH CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN THEOLOGIES Mormonism in Dialogue with Contemporary Christian Theologies, edited by David L. Paulsen and Donald W. Musser (forthcoming, Mercer University Press) represents an important moment in the history and development of Mormon theology. It brings some of the most important voices in contemporary Christian theology including David …
‘DO YOU HAVE A TESTIMONY OF . . . ?’
‘DO YOU HAVE A TESTIMONY OF . . . ?’ People who have much in common can still look at things very differently. Case in point: James McLachlan and Tom Kimball have been enjoying an ongoing discussion about their Mormon beliefs. Both have contemplated similar historical and philosophical dilemmas, and both are active in their …
Open Reading Of Genesis: Jacob Boehme’s Mysterium Magnum And Joseph Smith’s Books Of Moses, Abraham, And The Book Of Mormon
Open Reading Of Genesis: Jacob Boehme’s Mysterium Magnum And Joseph Smith’s Books Of Moses, Abraham, And The Book Of Mormon Jacob Boehme and Joseph Smith each offered what they claimed were divinely inspired expansions on the creation story that point to the openness of God. In doing so, both rejected doctrines of predestination and creatio …
Author-Meets-Critics: Exploring Mormon Thought: The Problems Of Theism And The Love Of God
Author-Meets-Critics: Exploring Mormon Thought: The Problems Of Theism And The Love Of God Panelists in this session will engage author Blake T. Ostler in a vigorous discussion of the views of salvation he offers in the second of three volumes in his Exploring Mormon Thought series. What is God’s grace? To whom is it offered? …
Is Bigger Better?: Meditations On ‘Size’
In today’s academic and political climates, using the word “hierarchy” can cause shudders, especially when one applies it to value judgments. I’ve long been enamored with process theologian Bernard Loomer’s concept of “size” as a way of talking about hierarchical relationships. Dan Wotherspoon, James McLachlan
When Talking About God With Those Of Other Religions, Do We Mean The Same Thing?
When traditional Christians and Mormons talk about God, are they talking about the same being and disagreeing with each other, or are they merely talking past one another? This panel will explore the philosophical issue of how we can refer to God and what implications this has for interreligious discourse between Mormons and those of …
Mormons, Movies, And Romantic Eschatology
Drawing from insights in the Wizard of Oz, Groundhog Day, and other great movies, this presentation highlights differences between Mormon eschatology (the understanding of last things or the end and purpose of the world) and how LDS approaches to the relation of the divine and the human, atonement, and grace differ from those offered by …
TOWARD A DIALOGUE BETWEEN MORMONISM AND PROCESS THEOLOGY
Many Latter-day Saints and process theologians have noted similarities between the theological flavor of Mormonism and process thought, yet a vigorous dialogue between the two has yet to develop. In this session, two Mormon philosophers share their personal journeys with process ideas, what they’ve incorporated into their personal theologies, and what they believe are the …